My soon to be 13yr old son has trouble remember to turn in his homework. We get it done but it doesn't make it to the teachers hands.

Someone suggested getting him a watch and setting an alarm at the beginning of each class to remind him to turn in his homework.

Any ideas?

Does he have a smartphone? If so, he should be able to set multiple reminders on it.

quote:

Any ideas?

Sometimes we only learn by paying a stupid tax.
Sooner or later they get the message and do the right thing.
It's up to him to be responsible, nobody else.
Sorry.

I first read that title as a "boy that has multiple arms." I was very confused as to why this should be stated. Perhaps where he's from boys have only one arm? Or does multiple mean more than 2? Does he live in Hanford?

Then I reread it and it all fell into place. Multiple alarms.

Does he not notice when all the classmates are turning in the assignment?

I have a friend with a son who has the exact same problem. He completes his homework, but fails to turn it in. He now goes to school with a sheet of paper along with his homework and his teacher at each period will sign off that it has been turned in, or that nothing was due. When he returns home from school his mother checks to make sure his signatures lines are full. He seems to be doing OK with that as his reminder.

The Timex Ironman sounds like the perfect thing for him. I use one for work specifically because of all the alarm, stop watch, and timer functions, and just how intuitive and well designed the watch is. And it can take a beating

quote:

Originally posted by TXJIM:
Does he have a smartphone? If so, he should be able to set multiple reminders on it.

No one at that age should have a "smartphone."

I realize of course that's not reality.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Any ideas?

Sometimes we only learn by paying a stupid tax.
Sooner or later they get the message and do the right thing.
It's up to him to be responsible, nobody else.
Sorry.

I have to agree with this. When he get older, who's going to remind that young man to go to work or pay bills?

Kids around that age are starting to have smartphones but the prudent and responsible parent has controls on it via apps like ourpact.com and others.

Show him how to set alarms as well how to use an assignment notebook and make him use it. Give some encouragement and then let him fly.

Then be prepared for the hammer portion. When he totally fucks it all away (like not writing down assignments or getting bad grades), find whatever is his 'button' is and push it hard - games, computers, activities - whatever it is, take it away.

I went through this with my son. First time it was a week, then 2, then a month. I made it clear his job is more As than Bs and no C/D/Fs.

It's not fun but as mine graduated with >4.0 from high school and has full tuition scholarship for undergrad, I think it worked.

Our son was like this through school. Do 95% of the work, or even all of it, it doesn't get turned in on time.
At 45 he's the same, but now we call it "executive function disorder", which in some kids at least seems linked to ADHD.
Adding structure and developing habits helps counteract this. Unfortunately the structure may have to come from the outside.
By the way everyone in my family is like this, but the younger son has it to a far more dysfunctional degree.

I also read multiple arms and my first thought was multiple watches problem solved.

If he doesn't take the visual cue from all the other kids turning in homework, I doubt a watch alarm will help.

quote:

Originally posted by airsoft guy:
I first read that title as a "boy that has multiple arms."

I read it as "I need to watch for an adolescent boy that has multiple alarms." I thought the OP was on the alert for a young boy emitting an alarm.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Any ideas?

Sometimes we only learn by paying a stupid tax.
Sooner or later they get the message and do the right thing.
It's up to him to be responsible, nobody else.
Sorry.

Both my kids learned early and often that they had to accept consequences for their poor planning or habits and it has benefited them both to this day...Waited until the last second to do a project and think I am going run out at 10pm to by poster board, nope, take the F....Forget your lunch (multiple times) and expect me to run to the school with it, nope...Forget to turn in assignment and ask me to make an excuse for you, never gonna happen!

Do the teachers not ask for it? Mine always did, and as late as the 7th grade I got paddled for not having done it... once. My memory improved greatly after that!

I expect an alarm would invoke a bad response from teachers the first time it accidentally went off during class, he might even be punished for it.

At least they give homework... here they almost do none. They drag the better students down to the level of the worst. Can't make the slackers feel uncomfortable.

Me at 13:

I dont turn in homework;
I get a bad grade;
I get punished and have to do more scut work at the gas station;
I dont like doing scut work;
I turn in my homework next time;

(mind you, this was repeated often....)

quote:

Originally posted by cparktd:
Do the teachers not ask for it? Mine always did,...

I recall "Don't forget to turn in your homework" from my teachers.

This might help. Tough solar with five alarms.

https://www.amazon.com/Casio-W...-Black/dp/B003URNNHC

My 10 year old gets reminders on his hand in sharpie.

JD

Mine was reminded from no TV or video games when this happened

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
Mine was reminded from no TV or video games when this happened

Yup, you need the carrot and the stick approach.